He began teaching them many things

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Collect

Show favour, O Lord, to your servants and mercifully increase the gifts of your grace, that, made fervent in hope, faith and charity, they may be ever watchful in keeping your commands. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Jer 23:1-6

I will gather the remnant of my flock and appoint shepherds for them.

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah

Woe to the shepherds
   who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture,
   says the LORD.
Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel,
   against the shepherds who shepherd my people:
   You have scattered my sheep and driven them away.
You have not cared for them,
   but I will take care to punish your evil deeds.
I myself will gather the remnant of my flock
   from all the lands to which I have driven them
   and bring them back to their meadow;
   there they shall increase and multiply.
I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them
   so that they need no longer fear and tremble;
   and none shall be missing, says the LORD.

Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD,
   when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David;
as king he shall reign and govern wisely,
   he shall do what is just and right in the land.
In his days Judah shall be saved,
   Israel shall dwell in security.
This is the name they give him:
   “The LORD our justice.”

The word of the Lord.

Ps 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6

R. :

℟. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
   In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
   he refreshes my soul.

℟. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

He guides me in right paths
   for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
   I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
   that give me courage.

℟. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

You spread the table before me
   in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows.

℟. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Only goodness and kindness follow me
   all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
   for years to come.

℟. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Eph 2:13-18

Christ is our peace who made both one.

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians

Brothers and sisters:
In Christ Jesus you who once were far off
   have become near by the blood of Christ.

For he is our peace, he who made both one
   and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh,
   abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims,
   that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two,
   thus establishing peace,
   and might reconcile both with God,
   in one body, through the cross,
   putting that enmity to death by it.
He came and preached peace to you who were far off
   and peace to those who were near,
   for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

The word of the Lord.

Acclamation before the Gospel
cf. Eph 1:17-18

℟. Alleluia, alleluia.

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.

℟. Alleluia, alleluia.

Mk 6:30-34

They were like sheep without a shepherd.

✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark

The apostles gathered together with Jesus
   and reported all they had done and taught.
He said to them,
   “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”
People were coming and going in great numbers,
   and they had no opportunity even to eat.
So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.
People saw them leaving and many came to know about it.
They hastened there on foot from all the towns
   and arrived at the place before them.

When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
   his heart was moved with pity for them,
   for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
   and he began to teach them many things.

The Gospel of the Lord.

All reply:

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Reflection

The image of God as Shepherd of Israel is a popular one in the writings of the prophets. In this Sunday’s first reading we have one of these images. God rebukes the spiritual leaders of Israel who behaved like hired shepherds, who do not care for the people unless it is for their benefit and the status that their position gave them. God rejects them and says that He Himself will lead his sheep.

In today’s Gospel, we find that Jesus is our God and shepherd! To feed His people with His Word! That is what Jesus told Peter to do before His ascension: “Feed my lambs … Tend my sheep” (Jn 21: 15-16).

The apostles had just returned from their journey of evangelisation. They were amazed at the works that were wrought through them (healing, casting out of demons, proclaiming the Word). They were also tired. Jesus, like a good father, took them to a solitary place where they could rest. But the people truly needed a good shepherd.

When Jesus saw the people, he did not complain because they would not leave them in peace. The Heart of our Good Shepherd felt compassion for them—SO HE BEGAN TEACHING THEM MANY THINGS. What an accurate description of the heart of Jesus. What is interesting is that Jesus was always prepared to teach on many things.

He didn’t waste time on idle talk. He always taught, taught and taught. How much then should we be prepared to give the people whom the Father has placed in our care, as St Peter said, “those entrusted to you” (1 Pt 5:3), the food they need, which is the teachings of the Kingdom of God.

“Come with me” – For the apostles this invitation from Jesus was received with joy. When he had called them to follow him, he had used the same words. What impact does this invitation have on you? “Come with me.” We might go on a retreat with the best of intentions. But what is important in any retreat is that when we search for Jesus, alone in prayer we encounter him, we enjoy spending time with him and allow him to enjoy spending time with us. How important is this invitation in my life? How am I responding to it?

"a solitary place” – in Greek ‘eremos’ which means a deserted place, desolate, isolated. Do you feel Jesus calling you from time to time to a deserted and isolated place? In this passage, the evangelist mentions this solitary place three times. It is emphasised. It is in a place like this that Jesus gives me rest, draws me to himself and gives me a mission. What he asks of me I am unable to accomplish alone. It is with Jesus by my side that I can accomplish the mission entrusted to me. How am I planning my apostolate? How am I trying to achieve it? By myself or with Jesus? What does this passage teach me about what I need to do now?

 

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